• Melchor de Mencos, Belize •
Meet the Aguado household. A place where love runs deep…simple are the joys…and wide are the smiles that shield the scars aching to heal beneath.
Here we see one of the effects of inaccessible health care. Where fathers lose their lives to otherwise treatable diseases, leaving two mothers and seven children with little more than the lingering fragrance of memories.
Here we also see a strength undeniable. Where the youngest to the eldest come together to care for one another…encourage one another…support one another.
And finally, we see ‘little Juan,’ whose palpable nonchalance tells you really all that you need to know:
He is now the man of the family.
Categories: Central America, Humanitarian Work, Photography
![Freedom to Care [a poem]](https://i0.wp.com/phoebemd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/pexels-andrea-piacquadio-712413.jpg?fit=1152%2C768&ssl=1&resize=40%2C40){kind=small}
Lovely story
Thank you 😊
This is awesome! Belize is next on my medical mission trip list! Great blog!
I have seen pics of “similar” circumstances from my daughter (worked in Mexico) and her daughter (worked in Rwanda). A message which comes from them is so loud and clear.
– Happiness has nothing to do with big screen tv’s, multiple cars, big houses and exotic vacations.
We, as a culture, should be embarrassed by our drive for more, bigger and better. We should be ashamed that the same drive is fragmenting our culture and making it totally self focused. We should question why our highly sophisticated education system is totally not addressing the basic pre-requisites for self contentment and happiness. We should also question why there are poverty stricken families, living in very traumatic circumstances, who show more contentment with their lives, than the greater percentage of our own culture!
We can learn so much from them, but are we prepared to?
They have the strength to carry on because they have love….it’s in every single face…..
Hugs, Pam
Yes…I agree! Hugs!! 🙂
I also agree with Roger Baker-Utuah. true words.
who says those with money are the only ones who can show love? i pray that the love in their hearts will grow bigger. thank you phoebe for sharing.
I agree…and I believe that it was love that carried them this far and that it will continue to strengthen them through all things in the future. 🙂
amen.
Reasons to hope are often so few for so many. Yet with love and hard work and forgiveness, people in the hardest of circumstances still find hope, even happiness. It is a marvel to me. I hope for little Juan and his family.
I completely agree. It was seeing this kind of joy and hope within others that made these types of experiences life-changing for me. And these people will also forever be in my heart. 🙂
How beautiful the phrase “lingering fragrances of memories” describes everything! It delivers a strong message.
Thank you for your kind words. 🙂
🙂
Thank you for sharing the story of this beautiful family with us. 🙂
🙂 🙂
How sad the little Juan has had (or felt he has had) to grow up so quickly. 🙁
I agree. 🙁 Hope you’re doing well, Amy. 🙂
Two steps forward, one step back.
Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. ((Big hug ))
I don’t really believe in heavens, but if there is one you already have a place reserved 🙂
Thank you for your very kind words…although I am certainly not deserving of them! 🙂
Love your description. Do you work with Doctors Without Borders?
Thank you. 🙂 For this trip, I went with another NGO. 🙂
Dr. Phoebe,
A most endearing story. Thank you for sharing.
Sincerely,
Richard
Thank you, Richard! I hope you are well. 🙂
So beautiful and sad at the same time. I love the ‘palpable nonchalance’ of ‘Little Juan’ 😎
🙂 🙂
What a great story.
🙂 🙂
Touching story…
🙂 🙂